Page 42 of Things We Fake
I pretended to think about it. “I’ll let you know after dessert.”
Chapter Fourteen
Sue
His smile softened, warming his whole face. “I hope you know how incredible you are.”
I arched a brow. “Not really. But you’re welcome to keep reminding me.”
We both laughed, the tension from Brittany’s scene slowly dissolving back into something light and playful. If I’d had holy water in my purse, I would have spritzed it all around us to exorcise the last toxic fumes of her presence.
“Any man who survived her is pretty incredible, too.” I glanced discretely across the room at Britt’s table. “I can see where she’s sitting. How about we give Enid a little indigestion? Since we’re apparently basking in the glow of undying love tonight, let’s make it a production. We should ask Emilio to take some photos of us. I’ll need them for my family.”
Cam raised my hand to his lips in a blatant display of passion. “I like you more every second, Susanne.”
A flash in the distance made me blink. It looked like other people were taking pictures too, although I hoped theirs wouldn’t be as fake as ours.
I eased back in my chair. “We’ll need to sync our stories before my parents arrive. I’m leaning toward love at first sight. My mom eats that stuff up—probably because that’s how it happened for her and my dad. If she only knew what I looked like at first sight...”
He chuckled. “Mrs. H said you had a ‘lovely pink glow.’ I thought you were hot.”
“Is that why you ran away from my apartment?”
“I ran away because I didn’t trust myself to be next to you while you were wearing nothing but a thin robe.”
My cheeks flamed, and I reached for my water glass. No more wine. At this rate, I’d be dragging him home by his tie.
“I’m really sorry about tonight,” Cam said, cutting into his steak. “Britt brings out the worst in me. I know I’m supposed to be the bigger person, forgive, forget, and move on, but the truth is, she didn’t just hurt me. She burned everything in her path. She ruined my friendship with Charles. We built Omega together, and she tore us apart. She convinced him I’d bleed him dry and made him sell me his shares. Since she’d screwed all of his brains out, he was willing to do whatever she wanted. I had to buy him out at a time when the company was barely holding on.”
“In the end, it looks like she did you a favor.” I reached for the lobster fork. “Let’s not let her spoil our evening This meal is amazing. And it deserves our full attention.”
He nodded, lifting his fork. “You’re right. You always seem to be.”
“Well, not always. I do have a very spotty track record when it comes to choosing ex-fiancés. But I’m working on it.”
His smile deepened. “You’re one of a kind, Sue. I really am glad we met.”
My stomach did a slow, complicated flip of pleasure. Even so, I reminded myself to keep expectations at a low simmer. I’d seen his expression when Britt first showed up. Something had flickered there, something unresolved. Whether it was guilt, resentment, or some remnant of desire, I couldn’t say. Whatever it was, it hadn’t evaporated just because he said the right words now. He had made it clear he wasn’t looking for long term commitment, and I couldn’t allow myself to forget that.
The lobster and steak were grilled to buttery perfection, and the sauvignon blanc had that bright, crisp kick that made everything taste like summer. By the time dessert rolled around, I was a little tipsy and a lot smitten. Every casual brush of Cam’s hand sent goosebumps racing up my arms—even if half of it was for Brittany’s benefit.
Still, now and then I’d catch a glimpse of her out of the corner of my eye, watching us like a hawk in heels. Even when I wasn’t looking, I could feel her eyes on me, burning holes into the back of my skull, one vengeful glare at a time. Either that woman was fueled by rage alone, or she’d replaced her bloodstream with tequila.
The waiter returned to clear our plates, then reappeared with a silver tray bearing a small spread of cheese, fruit, and two flutes of champagne.
“Compliments of the house,” he said with a sympathetic smile. “The owner asked me to apologize for Mrs. Howard’s behavior. She can be a difficult woman.”
I raised an eyebrow and reached for one of the flutes. “I’m sure she can. But she didn’t ruin anything.” I lifted the glass in a toast. “Tell the owner thank you.”
“We’ll definitely be back,” Cam added. “That’s a promise.”
Amen to that!
Later, as we were discussing the best neighborhoods to live in, Emilio returned with his ever-polite smile. “Would you like coffee?”
I waved a hand. “None for me, thanks. I’m not quite ready for caffeine to drag me back to reality.”
Cam nodded. “Same. We’ll just finish the champagne, then we’ll take the check.”
